"You can seize it? Are you certain of this? If I'm not mistaken, those two treasures seem to have been refined and fused with Blood Light Saint Ancestor as one. How could one possibly take them by force?" Han Li was first startled, but after a moment of contemplation, an expression of disbelief surfaced on his face.
"Have I ever told you, fellow Daoist, that the Purple Word Cauldron among those two treasures originally belonged to this old man?" The elder stroked his beard meaningfully as he spoke.
"What? Such a thing exists!" Han Li blurted out involuntarily.
"Hmph. Back then, this old man suffered Blood Light's treachery and was forced to hide his Primordial Spirit within this Demon-Subduing Lock to ultimately escape that villain's notice. However, the Purple Word Cauldron remained together with my physical body and fell into that scoundrel's hands. Although he spent over a hundred years refining away the spiritual consciousness I had left within the cauldron, then re-refined it for his own use, the two strands of spiritual consciousness I had originally left within the cauldron were in fact one hidden and one manifest — two separate types. As long as that villain did not discover the existence of the second strand of spiritual consciousness, there is naturally still a chance to help you reclaim the treasure, fellow Daoist." The elder stroked his beard, a trace of sinister color appearing on his face as he spoke.
"If Senior truly possesses such a hidden card, then success may indeed be possible. But how strong is the spiritual consciousness left within the treasure? How many chances does Senior believe there are?" Han Li's heart stirred with interest upon hearing this, but he still inquired cautiously.
"That strand of spiritual consciousness of mine was specifically refined for precisely such purposes. As long as Blood Light has not discovered it, I have more than a fifty-percent chance of wresting this treasure from his control. Moreover, using my method, even if the treasure cannot be reclaimed, it would still be enough to greatly diminish the Purple Word Cauldron's power before you, fellow Daoist, so that it can no longer pose any threat." Che Qigong spoke with extraordinary confidence.
"A fifty-percent chance — that is already enough to risk a try. Since the Purple Word Cauldron is no longer a concern, I wonder whether Senior also has a way to deal with the Rainbow Light Pagoda? Compared to the Purple Word Cauldron, that treasure's ability to capture living beings is even more heaven-defying and troublesome." Han Li nodded, then abruptly asked another question.
"Although the Rainbow Light Pagoda is not mine, it is a famous remnant treasure of the Profound Heaven in the Holy Realm. I do not know how that scoundrel Blood Light came to possess it. I have seen this treasure several times, and its power is indeed formidable. Even if I faced it personally, I would have no confidence in breaking through it." Che Qigong pondered for a moment before his expression turned solemn as he spoke.
"Then you're saying there's simply no way to counter this treasure?" Han Li's heart sank as he said slowly.
"While the Rainbow Light Pagoda cannot be broken, if you simply need me to buy you some time, that can be managed. As long as you use that interval to subdue the Purple Word Cauldron, then turn the cauldron against that treasure — since both are remnant treasures of the Profound Heaven — that should be sufficient for self-preservation." The elder's gaze flickered as he spoke.
"Being able to hold it off even briefly is already enough. I humbly ask Senior to share this method." Han Li considered for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face as he cupped his fists in salute.
"Heh heh, 'humbly share' — this old man wouldn't dare claim such credit. You don't really believe, fellow Daoist, that I would simply reveal the secret art for activating the spiritual consciousness and the method for dealing with the Rainbow Light Pagoda for nothing, do you?" The elder rolled his eyes and said bluntly.
"Oh? Then what does Senior have in mind?" Han Li's expression remained unchanged, as though he had long anticipated this.
"Simple — agree to the deal this old man proposed before, and I will reveal both the secret art and the method in full!" Che Qigong said without a moment's hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, and after a long while, he said indifferently: "In that case, Senior may as well state the conditions. Last time, I left rather hastily and did not have a chance to listen carefully."
"Rest assured, this old man is not so insatiably greedy. My conditions will be of great benefit to you as well." For the first time, a look of pleasure appeared on Che Qigong's face, and his voice softened.
"Then this junior is all ears." Han Li sneered inwardly, naturally not taking the other's words at face value, but his outward expression betrayed nothing.
"The first condition is that after you free yourself from here, you must immediately make a trip to the Yellow Springs Earthfire grounds nearby. Use this heaven-and-earth yin-fire to draw out some of the Two Chaos Energies contained within the Demon-Subduing Lock. I will separately tell you the extraction method, but the Chaos Qi thus obtained must be split — one-third goes to me." Che Qigong spoke with gravity.
"Senior is currently trapped here. How would you receive these Chaos Energies?" Han Li's expression shifted slightly, and he could not help but ask in some confusion.
"That is not something you need to worry about, fellow Daoist. Although I am suppressed within the Demon-Subduing Lock, I have my own ways to accomplish this. You need only answer whether you agree or not." The elder raised his eyebrows as he spoke.
"Senior asks for only one-third of the quantity. That truly is not excessive. Very well — this condition, Han can agree to." Han Li's expression shifted between light and dark for a moment before he finally nodded in agreement.
"Since this first condition is agreed upon, the second is even simpler, and it concerns something that may not happen for a very long time. It seems to me that your cultivation and fortuitous encounters are not insignificant. Perhaps one day you will even advance to the Mahayana stage. So all this old man asks for is a simple promise. If the day comes when you truly have the ability, then help this old man slay that scoundrel Blood Light." The elder smiled, and in a light, offhand tone spoke words that caused the muscles on Han Li's face to twitch.